Archive of the Manchester Technology Association

Archive of the Manchester Technology Association, the alumni group of UMIST, active between 1964-1986, its predecessor body, the Manchester Technology Old Students Association, active from 1925-1964, and the successor body, the UMIST Association, 1987-2004.

The archive contains one minute book of the MTA Council (MTA/2) and a number of annual reports and yearbooks (MTA/1); the latter dating from 1928 to 1986 (incomplete). It includes some files of a former MTA secretary which relate to its policies, history, and constitution (MTA/4). Also present are the minutes of the Policy Committee of the UMIST Association from foundation in 1987 to 1999 (MTA/6). MTA/7 consists of the incomplete minutes of the MTOSA Council covering 1925-1940. There is also some miscellaneous material (MTA/8)

This archive contains a history of the MTA and its development (see the Diamond Jubilee yearbook). It may be of interest to those studying the evolution and activities of alumni associations at Manchester and beyond. It also gives an insight into how such associations responded to the changing conditions of 1980s, as fund-raising became a more important aspect of alumni relations.

The Manchester Technology Association traced its origins to the Manchester Technology Old Students Association, founded in March 1925. M.T.O.S.A was an alumni group for former Faculty of Technology students at the Manchester Municipal College of Technology.

In 1964 MTOSA was disbanded and the MTA was formed. The Association's constitution stated "The objects of the Association are to promote generally the joint interests of the College of Science and Technology and its past students." All assets were transferred to the new Association and appropriate accommodation was provided for the increasing membership. The new Association stressed its desire to work closely with the College for mutual benefit.

By the 1980s, it as recognised that UMIST alumni would play a more direct role in fund-raising, and in generally promoting the institution. In 1982, the MTA council received a report which outlined possible options for future development. It was recognised that an increasing proportion of UMIST graduates did not settle in the North West area, as had been the case in the past, and so an alumni association needed to communicate with a national and international membership. With this in mind, in 1986 a successor organisation was formed, the UMIST Association. This body enjoyed close relations with UMIST and it continued in existence until 2004 when the new University of Manchester was established, and a new alumni body was formed.

There was no demonstrable order to the archive on its accession. The minute book forms an easily distinguishable series. The annual publications are arranged in chronological order, while the policy papers, constitutions, history and miscellaneous are less clear. Although arranged in approximate chronological sequence, they are not discernible series.

The collection is open to any accredited reader unless otherwise stated.

The collection includes material which is subject to the Data Protection Act 2018. Under the Act 2018 (DPA), The University of Manchester Library (UML) holds the right to process personal data for archiving and research purposes. In accordance with the DPA, UML has made every attempt to ensure that all personal and sensitive personal data has been processed fairly, lawfully and accurately. Users of the archive are expected to comply with the Data Protection Act 2018, and will be required to sign a form acknowledging that they will abide by the requirements of the Act in any further processing of the material by themselves.

Open parts of this collection, and the catalogue descriptions, may contain personal data about living individuals. Some items in this collection may be closed to public inspection in line with the requirements of the DPA. Restrictions/closures of specific items will be indicated in the catalogue.

Photocopies and photographic copies of material in the archive can be supplied for private study purposes only, depending on the condition of the documents.

A number of items within the archive remain within copyright under the terms of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988; it is the responsibility of users to obtain the copyright holder's permission for reproduction of copyright material for purposes other than research or private study.

Prior written permission must be obtained from the Library for publication or reproduction of any material within the archive. Please contact the Head of Special Collections, John Rylands University Library, 150 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 3EH.

The archive was kept at the former UMIST until transferred to the University Archives in 2005 and 2006. Further records of the UMIST Association, 1987-1999, were deposited by DARO in July 2011. Minute Books for MTOSA were transferred in December 2021 after being found at the former UMIST site.

Further accruals possible.

Faculty of Technology graduates were also eligible for membership of the University of Manchester Convocation, an official body with constitutional powers recognised by the University charter, see the Convocation archive CON

Copies of Mainstream, the UMIST alumni magazine published in the 1990s and early 2000s are part of the UMIST Publications Collection TMP/3